Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Iraqi MPs fail to elect a speaker

As the Guardian reports today, there were farcical scenes as the Iraqi parliament met for only the second time yesterday. It appears that the MPs were unable to decide on a speaker for the parliament:

Police and army units shut down half the capital to secure the assembly's second sitting, but instead of a breakthrough the day ended in frustration, with deputies exchanging blame.
As the proceedings degenerated, the body's stand-in speaker expelled journalists from the hall, and the US-funded national broadcaster, Iraqiya, cut its live transmission to show a black-tie orchestra playing music.